When host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani showed Cavett the cover, with the headline "HANGED" and bullet points: "tied a belt around his neck" and "slashed wrist with a penknife," Cavett called it "yellow journalism."

"This is the kind of crap that sells tabloid newspapers and there isn't much you can do about it because the public rewards it by buying it and eating it up," Cavett said. "It's none of your damn business what his details were but it's something we must live with."

Cavett isn't the only one taking offense to the Daily News cover. Village Voice film editor Alan Scherstuhl created an alternative front page depicting a more sympathetic narrative that emphasizes Williams' character as opposed to his death.